Forte (Custom Mech)
Description A heavily-modified Marauder II designed by and named for small-time mercenary Forte Rissian, the Forte is a supporting-fire BattleMech haphazardly built out of parts from a melting pot of manufacturers for a quick, painless battle, though not necessarily painless for anyone on the business end of its targeting reticule. Mobility was a mere afterthought: the jump jets were removed and a smaller fusion engine was installed, all in favor of more tonnage for weapons. As a result, the 'Mech trudges along at a mere 45 km/h, making it slow even by Assault-class standards and its heavy armaments easily out-maneuverable in close proximity. At medium to long ranges, however, the Forte can devastate anything lighter than an Heavy-class 'Mech in a single volley. The computer systems are programmed for multiple weapons-group configurations that can be switched in the heat of battle. Nine Clan-origin double heat sinks dissipate the heat caused by the plentiful energy weapons and the overtaxed General Motors 240 rated fusion engine therein. The Forte mounts above-average electronics, including a Wunderland Anomaly Beagle Active Probe, a Federated Hunter Mark II Targeting-Tracking System, and an IFF jammer to confuse the enemy, buying the pilot the precious seconds he needs to line up the lethal shot. All of this is tucked away under 17 tons of StarGuard CIV Ferro-Fibrous armor, making the Forte Variant a veritable walking fortress. Forte Rissian boastfully claims to have stolen this particular Marauder II chassis whenever asked about where he acquired it, and is the only known pilot of this variant. Though no one has been successful in tying him directly to the incident, a coincidental raid on an Achernar BattleMechs Mechworks facility on New Avalon is suspected to have been perpetrated by none other than the war-orphaned mercenary himself. The raid was assumed to be successful due to the disarray caused by Word of Blake's invasion of the Inner Sphere after the FedCom Civil War. The Forte and its variants fell out of use when Forte Rissian began to favor the more agile and lower-profile BattleMaster chassis over the lumbering Marauder II somewhere in 3069, and was only ever used again for displays of power and otherwise showing off. Armament The secret behind the Forte's incredible destructive power lies in the weapon mounted in its dorsal cannon, which was modified to fit the insane technology: the Clan-origin Rail Gun, a weapon with no known manufacturer that was adapted from warships. Only one other 'Mech has been known to mount the Rail Gun besides the Marauder II (the Behemoth II, the only 'Mech actually designed for use with the Rail Gun). A single Rail Gun slug, launched at hypersonic speeds, can punch a hole clear through all but the heaviest-armored 'Mechs. The Clan Rail Gun holds the record for the highest heat production out of any direct-fire weapon currently in active use on a BattleMech. An extra ton of Rail Gun ammunition are packed in, as it is quite common for the shots to hit less-significant areas of enemy BattleMechs or to miss altogether. Supporting the Rail Gun is a blistering array of Clan "Heavy" weaponry. Heavy Large, Medium, and Small lasers can be fired in aforementioned groups, to make piecemeal of many lighter opponents, or all at once in an Alpha Strike. In the case of excessive heat buildup, the 'Mech is equipped with a pair of Light Machine Guns, which it can use to continue causing small amounts of damage while the rest of the 'Mech cools down (though are really only useful for anti-personnel purposes). Variants * FRT-2L - One ton of armor, all electronic enhancements, the Heavy Medium and Small Lasers, and the Light Machine Guns are all dropped. The Clan Rail Gun is swapped for a dual Long Tom Artillery setup, which fires two Long Tom shots in rapid succession out of the dorsal cannon. This variant is not designed for any sort of real combat; its sole purpose is mass destruction at range. The pilot can trash whole groups of tracked vehicles and light-class 'Mechs with a single well-aimed volley. Once the target area has been leveled, the "Long Tom Variant" withdraws from the field and support 'Mechs are sent in to mop up any survivors. Where the FRT-1E is designed to cause massive damage to a single target, the Long Tom Variant spreads this damage across a broad area. * FRT-3C - The "Command Variant" is a complete overhauling of the Forte. To start, the Clan Rail Gun is swapped for a 10-ton-lighter Heavy Gauss Rifle, and the Light Machine Guns are traded for another pair of Heavy Small Lasers, freeing up a total of 11 tons. Four tons of armor and a double heat sink are removed, and that tonnage is spent on Chilton 600 jump jets. The rest is used on a heavier fusion engine (GM 300 XL) that propels the Command Variant across flat land at 69 km/h, with an advanced Compact Gyro system to help the top-heavy 'Mech retain its balance. As its name suggests, this 'Mech is designed for higher authorities in the heat of battle, allowing them to move to mission-critical areas at best speed while ensuring longevity. While sporting lighter armor in favor of increased mobility, the 'Mech still retains enough firepower to defend itself, though it is still not intended for full-intensity combat. References Not Applicable, fan-made BattleMech. Category:BattleMechsCustom